Beccafico sardines are a typical Sicilian dish resulting from the mix of different tastes. It is an example of the adaptation capacity of the local community, as the poor food represented by sardines came to replace the precious bird called “beccafico” cooked in the original version of the recipe in the aristocrat families.
Beccafico sardines are a typical Sicilian dish resulting from the mix of different tastes. It is an example of the adaptation capacity of the local community, as the poor food represented by sardines came to replace the precious bird called “beccafico” cooked in the original version of the recipe in the aristocrat families.
Prepare the filling by putting together the bread crumble.
Mix it with raisins soaked in hot water, pine nuts, lemon and orange juice and oil, salt and pepper.
Roll sardines up with inside the filling previously prepared. Be careful to put the fishtail high-pointed.
Put them on a plate, by inserting a slice of lemon/orange and bay leaf in between.
Pour vinegar on sardines and put the honey on them.
Cook in the oven for 15 minutes (180°).
Recipe Notes
Contributor: Francesca Varvaro, 62
Place: Partinico, Italy.
Personal Background
She is housewife. She loves cooking. She lives in Partinico, which is a small town close to Palermo.
Recipe’s Personal Background
How did you learn this recipe?
I’ve learned this recipe from my mother, who was taught also by my grandmother.
Is there some memory/historical event connected to this recipe?
No, there’s no a personal historical event connected to this recipe.
Personal reference to tradition transmitted by relatives (preparing together, sharing, eating together etc.)?
The memories are connected to the childhood and to the moments during which the interviewee learned from her closest relatives (in this case, a mother and the grandmother) this recipe.
Mediterranean Background
Any tradition this receipe is connected to? If yes, which one? Can you describe it?
This recipe has a long story: the name “beccafico” is a name of a bird, which usually people of higher class used to eat centuries ago. People of lower class, since they couldn’t eat these kind of “expensive food”, decided to prepare sardines – the only available food for their life standard – in order to look like the “beccafico” birds, using only poor ingredients.
Any Festivity this recipe is connected to? If yes, which one? Can you describe it?
No, this recipe is not connected to some festivity.
Is your recipe connected to the territory you live in? Is it strictly linked to the specificity of the agricultural environment?
-Yes, it is: it is made by all the ingredients available from the Sicilian territory and sea.
Season (season this food is linked to)
All year
Ingredient
Nutritional Importance
Health Benefits
Fresh sardine
Made up of 21% proteins, 4,5% lipids and 1,5% carbohydrates. Rich of trace elements like vitamin D, phosphorus and calcium.
Sardines are very rich in omega 3 fats that protect the heart and the blood vessels which neutralize the negative effects of hyper-glycaemia.
Pine nut
Made up of 21% proteins, 76% lipids and 3% carbohydrates.
Pine nuts are a food with a very energetic plant origin; it contains high levels of triglycerides, among these linoleic acid with a cholesterol-lowering action.
Extra virgin olive oil
Made up 99% lipids, and minimally of vitamins, antioxidants and phytosterols.
Being a source of lipids, amino acids and important triglycerides that make up the lipid bilayer membrane, olive oil is has multiple and important beneficial actions (also a mild laxative property).
Raisins
They are very rich in dietary fibers, mineral salts and phenolic substances.
Very high in calories because of fructose, it is an anti-oxidant, and it is useful against constipation.
Additional information
Is it suggested to eat this meal if you suffer from some disease? If yes, for which one?
–
What is the primary base with which your food is prepared? Is this a derivative of oil or another base?
Mainly fish. It’s not a derivative of oil.
What nutrition related illnesses or deficiencies are common in your area? Are there holistic or nutrition based remedies connected to these aliments?
